Breathing new life into dance traditions: kūttu and bharata nāṭyam among Sri Lankan Tamils

Abstract

Kūttu and bharata nāṭyam stand out as the two main dance styles in use among Sri Lankan Tamils. Over the last decades, attempts have been made by many choreographers to yield a synthesis of the styles, with the twofold aim of reviving traditional repertoires and reassessing the value of the dance forms, previously separated along caste lines. In this way these forms of dance have been revitalized and modernized as forms of communication intrinsically linked both to the history of the Tamils and to contemporary issues.